Sermon Series'

Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Easter is all about the resurrection; it is about the dead coming to life. Christians observe this holiday in order to celebrate Jesus’ victory over the grave. Death could not hold the Author of Life captive. Jesus broke the bonds, and emerged from the tomb after three days. But Easter is not just a historic event about a supernatural occurrence. It has important implications today. You see, Easter reminds us how desperately we need Jesus. Without a risen Savior, the destiny of all mankind would be death and doom. But because Jesus is alive we can live too. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:6 that we can be, “raised up with him.” In other words, we need Jesus because without him we are dead, but through him we can be made alive. This Easter, consider how Jesus’ resurrection should impact you. Have you been “raised up with him?” Have you been made alive through his grace? May the Lord teach us the significance of Easter, and help us appropriate the benefits of his resurrection today.

Speaker: Lukus Couterman - John 12:20-36 is unique among the Gospels. The narrative describes a group of Greeks coming to celebrate Passover and they request an audience with Jesus. They want to “see” him. But when the disciples inquire about the potential interview, Christ does not appear to directly address the request. He begins to talk about how his “hour has come.” What does that mean? The hour has come for what? Jesus goes on to describe his death on the cross. Upon closer inspection, the discourse does concern the Greeks. If the Gentiles were ever going to truly “see” Jesus, then he needed to be crucified and glorified. Jesus’ death was necessary before the full-fledged Gentile mission could begin. And so, when Jesus speaks of “the hour” or “the time” he is introducing a major event in the redemptive history of mankind – namely, the cross. May the Lord teach us of his sacrifice, death, and glory this morning as we reflect on his crucifixion.